Axle



UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

p t l Y Y p, JQ'HN er. urz AND THOMAS ziiviMEEiviAN, 0E CLEVELAND, 01110, AssIeNoEs 'ro T HE STANDARD PAETs COMPANY, E CLEVELAND, o iiio, A CoEPoEA'rIoN 0F omo, i l

AXLE.

vSpecication of Letters Patent. v Patented MaI-g 1921,`

Application flied December 1. isis. -seriai Ne.s41,7ss.

To all lwhom t may concer/n: v .Be it known that we, JOHN G. Ufrzvand THOMAS ZIMMERMAN, citizens of the United States,fand residents .of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful vImprovements in Axles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to axles and more particularly to driving axles of motor vehicles. One of the objects of invention is the provision of an improved connection between the'hub of a vehicle wheel and its driving lshaft which may be economically and accurately manufactured and will rigidly secure the parts together but permit them to be readily disconnected when -de-v sired. Another object ofthe invention is to provide/a construction embodying a taper lit Abetween lthe parts, and driving splines wherein the torsional strength of the driving shaft as a whole will not be aected by forming the splines therein.

Other objects of the invention and the featuresof novelty will be apparent from the following specification, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Y Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal `section through' a driving axle showing a wheel mounted thereon in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the liney Fig. 3 is a vertical section on lthe line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 11 indicates the drive shaft of an automobile axle, the hub 12 of a driving wheel being mounted on the shaft so as to be driven thereby. The drive shaft is tapered outwardly, as shown `at 13, the amount of such taper bein slightly exaggerated in the drawings or the sake of clearness, and the taper is stopped short of the end of the shaft to leave a portion 14 of substantially the full diameterV of thev shaft. This portion 14 of the shaft is grooved to form integral splines 15 of akr height corresponding to the amount of taper.- in the tapered portion of the shaft, and

thus not reduce the cross'sectional'area Vof the splined portion ofthe shaft below that at the small end of the taper. The splines 15 do not extend into the tapered portion of the shaft which is thusleft plain orv iin-- l splined.` A'shallow circumferential "groove The heb. 12 is bored-ee emile tapered accurate fitting of theV part -13- of the shaft and has a ycylindrical.` bore .15 opposite thesplines y15. The hub;

12 Vis also provided withl grooves 17 tofoim splines Y18 therebetween, Sucli'-gr0oves being preferably formed by a broaching voperation and extending straightthrougli `the hub 12 so` that their bottoms -will be at a uniformdi's-` tancev from Ythe axis, throughout "the length ofthe grooves. The Aend of the shaft-1.1 is threaded as'shown vat 19 to receive a mit 19 for securing the Ahub in position on the shaft, the usual'washer 2O and cotter .pin

21 being provided to cooperate Vwith the'l parts in the usual-manner.V The hub 12 may be cored as shown at 22 and ahub cap 23' is lthreaded vor rotherwise secured thereon.

If it is desired, the splined portion of the shaft may be reduced slightlyfrom normal diameter to provide a' slight clearance between the outer surfaces of the splines 15 and the'bottom of the groove 17 of the hub, which clearance, as well as that between the inner surfaces of the splines 18. ofthe hub and the bottom of the grooves between vthe splines 15 of the shaft, will facilitate the lmounting of the hub on the shaft or its removal therefrom. By thus constructing the parts, the driving portion of fthe' shaft will have a large cross sectional area, because the diameter at Vthe baseof its splines `may be at least as great as vthat of the smaller end of thetapered'portion of the shaft, and this is the point having the minimum torsional strength. Having thusV described our invention, what we vclaim is y;

1. In a device of the class described, the combinationV of Va shaft having a splined portion and a tapered portion the smaller A. y

100 the diameter ofthe splined portion of the J Y end of which adjoins said splined portion,

'shaft at the base of the splines beingl sub-k stantially as great asy that at thesmaller end of the tapered portion, and a hub fitting Yon the tapered portion ofthe shaft and having splines interengaged 'withthe splines of the shaft. f

2.. In a device of the'class described,ethe fr I combination` of a shaft having a portion thereof tapered toward the end thereof and a vsplined portion adjoining the smallerend of the tapered portion and having a cross sectional area at least as great Vas that of the the splined portion thereof being of cylin-v drical form'externally and substantially of the same diameter as the larger end of the tapered portion, and av hub fittingV on thek tapered portion of the shafty and being grooved throughout its length .to formA splines having portions adapted to engageV betvveenthe splines of theshaft. A

4. lIn a device of the class described, the

combination of a shaft having a plain vunsplined taperedV Wheel-supporting portion andra splined driving portion adjoining the v smaller end of the tapered portion, and a hub having straight grooves therein the bottoms of which are parallel to the axis of the hubto forin splines for. interengageinent With Jthesplines on the shaft, the splines on the hub being tapered at their inner ends to` conformto and `fit upon the tapered portion of said shaft.l

5. In a device of the class described, he' combination of a shaft having a port n thereof tapered to form a conical surf e and a splined portion between said tapered portion and the end of the shaft, a hub grooved throughout the length of the taf pered and splined portions of saidvyshaft to kform splines having portions Which lit between the splines of the shaft and portions VWith conical inner faces to fit upon the conical surface of the shaft, and v,means for securing said hub in position on said shaft. s

6. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a shaft having la portion thereof tapered. Vto form a conical surface and an enlargedV splined portion between said tapered portion and the end ofthe shaft, a hub on said shaft having a tapered bore to yfit theshafttaper and a cylindrical bore opposite said'shaft'splines andgroovcs. forming splines to-interengage with zthe.

shaft splines, said groovesextending through the tapered bore of thehub, Vand-meansj for-:securing said hub in position on said ,In'testimony whereofY We afliX our signashaft.

tures. y 1

JOHN Giufrfzf f lfrHoMAs Yzuxnxniiuaitu.'s y 

